GOAL: start every semester with an event to welcome new transfer students within the first two weeks of the semester. Many academic departments have a gathering that welcomes all new students, but transfer students tell us that they have distinct needs, questions, and experiences that get lost in general sessions.
At the start of a new term, find out who your new transfer students are in this way:
- In ARGOS, go to “Student Extract” and search for all majors in your department.
- Under “Admit Term” sort the list by clicking on the up/down carat until the students with admit terms in the current term are at the top.
- The next column, “Admit Type,” will identify the students who are transfer students.
- You may find it easier to export your major list to a CSV file and sort in Excel. For assistance using ARGOS reports, see this guide developed by Institution Research.
Your welcome gathering will depend on how many new transfer students you have. In a spring semester, for example, you might have only one or two new transfer students. A department chair or faculty member might invite one or two students out for coffee – this establishes a relationship with your new transfer student that can prevent the feelings of isolation transfer students tell us they often experience. This will help them persist in completing their degree at Geneseo. Departments whose offices are close to each other, such as the social science programs in Bailey Hall, might choose to host a group event for new transfer students, taking care to ensure that individual students are seen by and are able to interact with faculty, staff, and students from their new departments.
A transfer welcome session ideally includes current majors in addition to faculty in the department. Departments usually budget for refreshments, but your department’s academic club might be a co-sponsor of this event.
Whether your group and event is large or small, be prepared to answer these questions your new transfer students are likely to pose. If you do not know the answer to a question, help the student make an appointment with an advisor in the DAPA office.
- Who is my advisor?
- Why was I advised into the courses in my schedule this semester?
- How can I see how my credits transferred to Geneseo?
- What should I do if I don’t see all my transfer credits?
- Do I need to complete Geneseo’s General Education curriculum?
- Who can I talk with to make sure I graduate “on time”?
- How can I participate in undergraduate research?
- Does Geneseo have a tutoring program?
If your department would like a refresher on how to answer these and other advisor questions, please contact the academic dean and/or invite a DAPA advisor to a department meeting.